14 days judicial custody for former Chairman of Commonwealth Games Organising Committee

Suresh Kalmadi, former chief of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, presently facing trial for his role in the mismanagement of multi-billion dollar mega event, is sent to two weeks of judicial custody by a special designated court in New Delhi.

NEW DELHI, INDIA (MAY 04, 2011) ANI - Former Chairman of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, Suresh Kalmadi was sent to two weeks of judicial custody by a special designated court in New Delhi on Wednesday (May 04).

Hitesh Jain, defence lawyer of Kalmadi disclosed this to the mediapersons.

"Today CBI had requested for judicial custody and accordingly the court has passed an order remanding Mr. Kalmadi to judicial custody for 14 days," said Hitesh Jain, defence counsel of Kalmadi.

Presently, Kalmadi is facing trial before the Special CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) Court for his role in the mismanagement of multi-billion dollar mega event.

Further Jain contended that the sleuths of CBI, the country's nodal probe agency, had committed a faux-pas by not producing Kalmadi within 24 hours of his arrest and noted this had been repeatedly brought to the notice of the court.

"We have always stuck to the same point that he has to be produced within 24 hours but he was not produced and that is why his detention is illegal. We are continuing to make this point," added Jain.

Kalmadi was in custody of the CBI, after a special court remanded him on April 26. The CBI's eight-day custody ended on Wednesday.

The lawmaker, formerly of the federal ruling Congress party, was sacked as the Chairman of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee in November after the organisers were accused of manipulating contracts and inflating bills for the event, which was meant to showcase India's rise as a global power but was instead beset by problems.

Kalmadi was further suspended from the Congress party, hours after his arrest on April 25 on charges of manipulating the award of contracts for the staging of the mega event in October 2010.

The sporting event, which cost an estimated $6 billion- and unofficially over $15 billion - became embroiled in rows over leaking stadiums, filthy athletes' accommodation, and inflated tenders for equipment including treadmills, and even toilet paper.

However, on his part, Kalmadi has denied any wrongdoing.

The case is one of the several corruption scandals, which have emerged in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's second term, spooking investors and diverting the government's focus from pushing forward economic reforms.